The Learning Platform
The learning platform provides you with a range of educational content to prepare you for the challenge - from context and case study videos to Tinkercad/Fusion 360 3D design tutorials.
Rethinking Plastics
Today, we’re challenging you to rethink and redesign a wasteful plastic product to be more sustainable and fit for a circular economy. The process involves learning about the circular economy before selecting and analysing an existing plastic product. You’ll then go through a creative journey to develop a conceptual 3D printed prototype of a complete systemic redesign of the product. View the challenge details below and start a free trial to PrintLab today!
Criteria + Constraints
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- Your solution should consider the entire life cycle of an existing product before making improvements to its sustainability and impact on the environment.
- In addition to improving the product’s sustainability, your solution should be viable and desirable.
- Your solution does not need to be a refined end product but rather a conceptual prototype.
- Your solution does not need to be a 3D printed product but a 3D printed representational prototype of it should be created.
- You should document your entire design process in a portfolio format, which includes the stages of product analysis, idea generation, prototyping, testing and iterating.
Challenge Difficulty
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This challenge is rated as advanced. Participants should have strong skills in 3D design and 3D printing, as well as good knowledge of design processes and methods. If you are a beginner designer, we recommend participating in other basic/intermediate projects first.
Challenge Length
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The estimated challenge length is 9 hours, excluding any 3D printing time. This estimate includes designing and making an initial prototype and creating 2 improved versions. The challenge can be completed in shorter or longer periods of time depending on the number of iterations you choose to make. We recommend breaking the challenge up into multiple sessions (e.g. 9 x 1 hour sessions), which will allow you to 3D print necessary objects between sessions.
Equipment Required
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To participate in this challenge, you will require:
- A laptop or computer with either Tinkercad or Fusion 360 software (both free for educational and personal use).
- A software or web application to create a digital portfolio. We recommend using Google Slides.
- Access to a 3D printer and 3D printing material.
- Pen/pencil and paper.
- A device to capture images of your design process to insert into the project portfolio.
Additional materials may be required depending on the design methods you use when developing your solution.
Method Toolkit
PrintLab Challenges give you complete freedom in the design process you take but you'll be supported by a complete toolkit of design methods to choose from - each with step-by-step instructions and animations on implementing the method.
The Outcome
The challenge learning platform and design method toolkit will support you through a journey of discovery, experimentation and innovation - resulting in a conceptual 3D printed prototype that's completely unique.
Teacher Resources
With our education licenses, you can generate a share link to give your students access to the challenge learning platform. Each section of the platform also has a teacher instructions tab, which provides you with step-by-step lesson plan instructions, curriculum alignment resources and an assessment rubric.
Ready to Get Started?
This challenge is available to subscribers of PrintLab. Learn more about our license options and start a free trial today to access a whole range of resources across the fields of 3D printing, 3D design, assistive technology, product design and STEM.
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